Prekmurje: The Hidden Treasure of Slovenia

When we were on our way to Prekmurje, I had doubts about photographing the iconic bird – Stork. I know that they don’t wait around for someone who wants to take a picture of them. But I was relieved the second we came to Murska Sobota. The landscape here is flat and very different from the rest of the country and that makes spotting the storks much easier.

---

Nice Places for Staying in Prekmurje

Things turned out even better because the place we were staying at had a nest with three baby storks on their roof. There we rented a suite equipped with the authentic style of old Prekmurian houses. Kind staff told us that it’s a matter of days when little storks will be strong enough to fly and we might be lucky enough to witness their first flight. By the way, this hotel is named after storks, those iconic birds, and it gives tourism an autochthonic touch. We just love genuine locality and we found out that there is something so special that it can’t be transported anywhere.

---

Nature Will Amaze you in Prekmurje

Mother Nature was very generous here and allowed healing tourism to develop in this area. Scientists measured the area in 2001 and discovered around 50 healing sites in a 3-mile diameter, 26 of them being marked. Each of them has a special beneficial power that influences the strengthening of vitality.

And that is not all. There are also different sources of mineral water and you can enjoy the benefits of it in different spas. We were at Terme Banovci, Terme 3000 and Terme Lendava. Which one did we like the most? Probably Terme 3000 and their black thermal-mineral water. That black jewel has a smell of crude oil and the list of its therapeutic and beauty effects is a long one. Vivi was over the moon when she discovered it and I had to remind her that there is a limited soaking time in the black pool. Every time her answer was: “I know… Just five more minutes and I’m out.” Her begging look was my amusement of the week and I still smile when I remember that look. Judging by her glowing skin that was a good investment. At Terme Banovci we experienced our first nudist experience.

---

Prekmurje Has Amazing Food

It’s clear that WNFdiary can’t be without a gourmet experience. To enjoy this place with all senses, we went on the hunt for the top restaurants in this area. We ate well in quite a few places but we hit the spot when we sat at the table in Restaurant Rajh. The family runs the restaurant and they get inspiration in the surrounding environment. They transform traditional local dishes in a modern way. It really was a joy to dine there, the food was amazing and so were the staff members.

---

And Wine

Prekmurje has it all, even some local wine. We visited the Marof Winery and their own wine cellar. Prekmurian wine is comparable to those of more famous regions. We drank “Blau Frankische” which had a slight resemblance to the same sort from Mr. Sturm winery. At his wine cellar, we came across one of the top wines we tasted and he even shared a tale of a soil influence. It’s more difficult to produce the top-quality wine in the environment that is not ideal for the wine. It may be that this flaw brings the opportunity for talented winemakers to shine. If you do your best and not just rely on the soil and sun, the hard work must be rewarded.

I can’t say for sure if it was the energy spots or thermal spas. It may have been homey cuisine or all together but we felt revived despite the long journey. Loved the experience!

---